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Happy MLK Day

Monday is Martin Luther King Day. A celebration of a great black leader. Martin Luther King was a black man who was a leader but he was a leader for people of all colors. He had a vision of a world that was better for ALL not just black Americans. He saw a society that brings out the best in everyone and allows all of us to work together, as equals to advance society as a whole. Dr. King was so much more than a leader of black Americans. The question is has everyone else come far enough to realize that yet?

We have come along way but Dr. King’s vision isn’t here yet. To think 20 years ago that America would have a black President was unthinkable to many, but not in Dr King’s vision. Dr. Kings vision goes beyond. His vision was of a world that President Obama would not be seen as a “black” president, simply a man serving as our President. A world that we would not think to label our friends as Black, White , Hispanic or other but simply as our friends. In conversations do you preface friend with their race if it is different from yours? Does their race have anything to do with the point you are making? Can you see beyond race to the person that is your friend.

Dr King saw a world that was color blind. A world that pride of our ancestry and history was simply looking back and didn’t define who we were today. Nelson Mandela shared Dr. King’s vision and I am encouraged at the celebration of his life we recently experienced. I’m encouraged when I see President Obama leading our nation. I’m encouraged when I am able to see my fellow-man as individuals and not as a color. I look forward to the day that we all share this color blindness.

It doesn’t take programs and laws to get there although sometimes they are needed. It takes each of us as individuals seeing people for who they are and to get us to see that takes great leaders like Dr. King to share their vision and dreams and allow us to be a part of them.

Great blog Mr. Pfeifer! I think the younger generation is much more color blind than the older generation. I hope that future generations will have no prejudice toward color or alternative lifestyles. Imagine…